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December 14, 2009 Volume 41, Issue 4
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student life
KEN’S KORNEr Punk legends The Casualties Play trenton
Page 2 Princeton lecture uncovers former Italian PM’s ouija board secrets
SPORTS
Page 2 Tyler Texas takes men’s soccer Div. 1 NJCAA Championship
FEATURES
ENTERTAINMENT
Page 3 Gynt in progress is disco smash Page 4 late night Series is a laugh riot Page 5 Kelsey Theatre does Christmas Story right Page 5 FOOD FIGHT: DINING IN AND AROUND MCCC Pages 8-9 Faculty Spotlight: Prof. of Criminal Justice Elizabeth Bondurant Page 6 Photo feature Police Academy
Viewpoints
Page 7
BOYS NEED TO PULL UP THEIR SAGGING PANTS
Page 15
ATHLETES GET UNFAIR ADVANTAGES
Page 15
Just 4 Fun
Viewpoint: Stricter laws needed for teen motorcyclists
college
2x Dilbert + Get Fuzzy
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Page 15
Established 1969
A student press serving M ercer County Community College and its neighboring areas
Where have all the young men gone?
Nationwide and at Mercer, more women than men are succeeding in college By Sarina Prior Reporter
The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights has recently opened an investigation into whether some fouryear liberal arts colleges are accepting lesser qualified male applicants while rejecting better qualified female applicants to maintain a gender balance on their campuses. Nearly four decades after the passage of the Title IX legislation which prohibits gender discrimination in education –including school athletics, for which the bill is most well known– more women are entering college than ever before. Not only are they attending college in greater numbers than men, their GPA’s and graduation rates are higher. According to the U.S. Dept. of Education, in the 2006-07 school year women earned 62 percent of all associate’s degrees awarded, 57 percent of all bachelors degrees, and
61 percent of all master’s degrees. The trend shows up at Mercer too. Mercer’s Institutional Profile data for 2009 reports that of the students receiving associate’s degrees, 64.4 percent of recipients were female. There are many different opinions concerning the reason for this trend, according to Sociology Professor, Gianna Durso-Finely. One reason is that due to gender income disparities, women need higher levels of education in order to earn
the same income as their male counterparts. Another possible reason that women are out performing men in college is that due to high divorce rates and economic insecurity, women have learned that they need to depend on themselves to earn a living and support themselves and their families. Other reasons often cited as possible causes of the problem are the fact that more boys than girls are diagnosed
COLLEGE VOICE | FILE PHOTO
with learning disorders and that American school favors skills such as sitting and being quite that are nurtured more in girls than boys. Some majors in college, such as nursing and education, do remain predominantly female while others, such as engineering, remain overwhelmingly male. At Mercer, third-year Aviation major Rajief Jobson said that his aviation classes were probably 80 percent male,
possibly more. He is now finishing his general education classes, and the balance has shifted to about 60 percent female. He also said that often the men students don’t want to answer questions even if they know the answer. Higher numbers of girls are applying to college with better qualifications and transcripts than boys and admissions offices at some schools may be making decisions in order to maintain diversity in their student body and prevent it from becoming overwhelmingly female. If this does prove to be the case, it would be a violation of the Title IX legislation. In general, this isn’t a worry at Mercer, which has an open admissions policy, but some psychologists suggest that students don’t do as well when they percieve themselves to be out numbered by the opposite gender, a problem that is becoming more pevalent at Mercer each year.
After months of negotiation, faculty gets new contract By David Hoyt Senior Reporter
After months of negotiations and stalled efforts on both sides, Mercer’s Faculty Association and administration have negotiated a contract for faculty. The key areas of the agreement are the teachers’ salaries, medical costs and tenure experience requirements. The process to negotiate this new contract was long and laborious. Lasting through the summer and the majority of the fall 2009 semester, negotiations concluded in mid November. The faculty negotiating team met many times with President Donohue and Chief Business and Financial Officer Joseph Eapen who represented Mercer’s Board of Trustees. At several points during the contentious negotiations, the faculty union voted to boycot committee meetings. The faculty negotiating team was lead by mathematics Professor Arthur Schwartz and included History Professor Craig Coenen, Chemistry Professor Michael Dorneman and English Professor Sharmila Sen. Schwartz has 30 years of negotiating experience. Schwartz described the negotiation process as “brutal” and mentioned that 19 other issues were on the table for negotiation in addition to what is described in the new con-
COLLEGE VOICE | FILE PHOTO
tract. The new faculty contract is retroactive as of July 1, 2009 and replaces the old contract which expired June 30, 2009. The agreement will remain in effect for four years, expiring June 30, 2013. The key point of the negotiations focused on faculty salaries. After negotiations, the faculty and administration agreed that faculty would get 3.75 percent annual increase in their salaries. This increase combines with an increased overload rate, a bonus paid to faculty who teach credits beyond their usual teaching load. The new overload rate is applied retroactively back to the beginning of summer 2009, so faculty don’t lose out on money they should have made during the negotiation process. Originally, the faculty negotiators were aiming at an overall annual increase of 4.5 percent for salaries, but a variety of factors including America’s ailing economy prevented this outcome. The promotion system for Mercer’s
faculty has also been changed somewhat. Faculty members who are applying to be promoted from the rank of associate professor to full professor rank, must have more years of full-time teaching experience than they used to if they have an M.F.A. degree rather than a Ph.D. As part of the negotation agreement, two task forces will be convened. One will look at costs of health care. The other will revisit the qualifications needed for promotion in rank. Medical cost for faculty was a further concern during negotiations. Several other Ner Jersey community colleges were were in contract negotiations this year had to make concessions where medical benefits were concerned. Under Mercer’s new agreement Mercer’s faculty members will not be paying into their health benefits until 2013. At that time the contract is up for renegotiation and faculty hope to further postpone any cuts to their health benefits. Avoiding these cuts for the time being represents a significant achievement for Mercer’s negotiation team. Contract negotiations were not limited to Mercer’s faculty. Mercer’s security and maintenance staff, who usually negotiate along side the faculty union, decided to settle their contracts earlier. Mercer’s faculty expressed relief and happiness at the new contract. Faculty have resumed attending committee meetings and as the end of semester approaches, they have largely caught up on the backlog of work.
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STUDENT LIFE
Former Italian Prime Minister gave Princeton lecture
Romano Prodi addressed Ouija board incident among other topics By Dmitry Gurvits The College Voice
On November 19, Romano Prodi, two-time Italian Prime Minister and former Goldman Sachs economist, gave a well attended public lecture at Princeton University. Most of Dr. Prodi’s lecture was focused on the development of the European Union and its importance to European cohesion, saying the EU is “a union of minorities”. Dr. Prodi’s experience as the head of two Italian governments and President of the European Commission, the executive body of the EU, lends credibility to his view of the role of Europe in a multilateral world, the lecture’s topic. “Twentieth century Europe has been the most important political laboratory in the whole world,” he said, adding later that unless the African Union becomes more like the EU, “the continent is lost.” The audience members, roughly 100 people, was an amalgamation of Princeton University Italian Department faculty and students, local Italian-Americans and other individuals, including Mercer student Shawn Scott, a 19-yearold Political Science major who, when asked to comment on Dr. Prodi’s lecture said, “as far
PHOTO | DMITRY GURVITS
During a lecture on Nov. 19, a Princeton student asks Romano Prodi about his ouja board past. as the quality of information, it was something that could be expected from a political figure in terms of ambiguity and addressing legitimate issues.” When asked if the EU would take the lead in curbing global climate change, Dr. Prodi said “well, there need to be global standards. Without global standards, there is nothing.”
Ken’s Korner
Janis Ikeda, a 23-yearold Lehigh University graduate, said she was interested in both the topic and Dr. Prodi, citing his stature as a draw. This was her first Public Lecture Series lecture and she said she would consider attending another, depending on the lecturer. Ms. Ikeda, a Plainsboro resident who attended the lecture with a friend, said in a phone inter-
view, “as international relations majors [the lecture] was really broad, and didn’t go into the depth we’d hoped.” However, Dr. Prodi was unequivocal when an unidentified Princeton University student asked him about an incident involving a kidnapping and a Ouija board in 1978. At the time, Dr. Prodi was a Professor of Industrial Organiza-
KENNETH NAPIER
-VOICE staff writertakes us inside the local hardcore and punk scene.
Punk rock legends The Casualties headlined a local lineup for an all-ages crowd on the stage of Trenton’s underground music dive, Championship’s Sports Bar. The full lineup consisted of Ash Monday, black metal Hamilton head bangers; Too Much, Too Fast, Too Soon, a rock’n’roll kick in the teeth; Post No Bills, the tour-happy ska/punk Somerville natives; FreeDOOM, a beer soaked crust-punk curbstomp; and Guilt Trip!, Jersey City hardcore thrashers, all on tour with The Casualties. The show opened with Too Much, Too Fast, Too Soon playing a farewell set. Lead singer Taff staggered onstage in a haze of cheap beer and house whisky and announced the band’s break up. Then, without hesitation, the band launched into their signature sound – a traditional hip swingin’ rock’n’roll rhythm, offset in songs like “Later Bitch” and “Danger!
Danger!” with lyrics about drunken, drug-fueled womanizing. The band’s sound has never failed to warm up any crowd of Jersey punks. Next came Ash Monday, who hit the stage with tight drums and solid guitar work, but their brand of metal was too bass-heavy for a room full of punks and the crowd’s energy seemed to hit a speed bump. Sadly, this was a good band in the right place but the wrong time. They exited stage right to cheers and clapping, but it was from appreciation, not adrenalin. Next was FreeDOOM, a four pack of drunken hooligans debuting their new drummer to the public. Ad-rock, formerly of Local Demise, kept a driving rhythm and reined in the other instruments, transforming the previously well tuned band into a crust punk death machine with enough talent and rage to send the crowd into a vicious frenzy, destroying each other and portions of the venue during the 25-minute song set. As they left the stage there was blood on the floor, one broken
COLLEGE VOICE | FILE PHOTO
The Casualties lead singer, Taff. The band is known for their punk sound and songs about drunken drug-fueled womanizing.
nose, two bleeders, and several black eyes. The fourth band to play, Post No Bills, took the place by storm. Still pumped from the release of their first full-length album, Welcome to Rock Bottom, the fast, ska-style bass calmed down the boiling blood and brought everyone together, around 100 people pressed against the stage, singing along to songs they knew by heart, with lead singer Ian Kenworthy shoving the mic into the
crowd, getting them involved in the show and creating singalong choruses out of fan favorites. They brought a tremendous energy to the showroom and a swelling good mood that lasted all night. Several members of the audience, even those not familiar with the band, stated that they put on a better, more involved show than The Casualties, the evening’s headliners. Police were called in to take care of two underage girls caught drinking behind
tion and Industrial Policy at the University of Bologna. When Aldo Moro, himself a two-time Italian Prime Minister, was kidnapped on March 18, 1978 by the Red Brigade, a militant Marxist group linked to the KGB, Dr. Prodi and some colleagues held a seance which revealed Moro’s location, as he and his colleagues testified to the Moro Commission in 1980. The Ouija lacked the requisite specificity, and despite the efforts of law enforcement, Aldo Moro was shot and killed by his captors 54 days after his kidnapping. The student, whom Dr. Prodi misheard and he subsequently invited on stage, asked if Dr. Prodi still stood by his sworn testimony that he had gleaned information about Mr. Moro’s whereabouts from the spirit of Giorgio La Pira, a prominent Italian politician who died in November 1977, to which Dr. Prodi said only “Yes.” The audience laughed and applauded at the brief interaction. The auditorium, McCosh 50, had a problem with the podium’s microphones, forcing Dr. Prodi to use a hand held one throughout the lecture. Attendees could be overheard saying that Princeton is wealthy enough that everything should work properly. the venue, which lead to the unfortunate sidelining of the minor touring band, Guilt Trip!, who played immediately after Post No Bills. They played clear and concise songs, with a solid studio sound, to an empty show room. “It’s a shame that a native Jersey band had to lose their crowd like that,” said bartender Dale J. Gordon. Following the police incident was the headlining act, a Punk Rock legend 19 years in the making, fresh from an international tour, NYC’s own The Casualties. They exploded into the room, smashing the sound levels and shredding the already psyched up crowd into a spinning, studded whirlwind of spiky-haired, drunk punks, hell-bent on thrashing the living shit out of everyone who got in their way. The band fired off several old favorites at a machine gun pace for the entire set, only stopping to rile up the already violent crowd and encourage the anarchy. When the music came to an end, fans began screaming out for more, climbing the short stage and dragging bassist Rick, who had already walked off, back into the spotlight and forcing another set out of the more than willing performers.
Sports
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Tyler Texas takes home the NJCAA trophy Mercer hosts thrilling men’s Division 1 soccer championships
PHOTO | MATTHEW FREEDMAN
By Dmitry Gurvits with Michelle Pereira Reporters
Tyler Junior College Apache men’s soccer team won the National Junior College Athletic Association Division 1 Championship Tournament. Although Mercer did not qualify for the championships, the school did host the event. The final game was played on November 22. The Apaches beat the number two Georgia Perimeter College Jaguars in a 5-3 penalty shootout, as regulation play and two overtimes had resulted in 0-0 tie. Goalie Juan Robles led the Apaches to victory with five saves, including one in the penalty shoot-out, despite the Jaguars’ disparate offensive play, out-shooting the Apaches 8-2. In an interview with the Tyler Morning Telegraph, Apache coach Steve Clements said of his sophomore goalie’s play, “he had a great day,” adding “Georgia Perimeter really took it to us in the first half. We were lucky to survive.” In fact, the Jaguars maintained possession of the ball through most of the game, playing largely in their offensive zone. Despite their advantage in time of possession and the ejection of Apache midfielder Harry Machacha with 8:42 remaining
in the second half for a second yellow card, the Jaguars were unable to convert. Jaguar coach Marc Zagara was dismayed that his team could not capitalize on the player advantage, saying “we had good chances, we just couldn’t finish it.” Apaches forward Dom Dwyer was able to maintain possession of the ball in his offensive zone as the second half drew to a close, preventing the Jaguars from becoming too dangerous with the extra man. Coach Clements credits his defense’s grit and resilience with keeping the Jaguars off the scoreboard, saying “defensively we stepped up and did our job to hold them out.” In the second half, the Apache defense was better organized, holding off standout Jaguar midfielder Kingsley Morgan, who volleyed a cross from the right flank in the thirty-second minute. Morgan was hassled by Apache defenders who charged him twice in the game, knocking him down. After exchanging goals on the first four penalty kicks, Apache player Andy Brooks hit the mark, taking the score from 2-2 to 3-2. The following penalty was saved by Apache goalie Robles, who denied the draw to the Jaguars. Then the Apaches scored again, making it 4-2, but Jaguar player Davian Davis kept Georgia Perimeter’s
PHOTO | MATTHEW FREEDMAN
chances alive by scoring on his opportunity 4-3. Finally, it was the Apaches’ freshman Martin Seiler who scored the last and winning penalty kick, clinching the championship for his team. In celebration, Apache players jumped on the field and posed for pictures, joined in their elation by the Apachesfaithful in the crowd. The Jaguars, meanwhile, looked on in disbelief, as this was their first loss decided by penalties in the national championship game in three years. The tournament’s podium also included third-place Schoolcraft College (Mich.) beating Louisburg College (N.C.) 3-1, and Yavapai College (Ariz.) and Essex County College (N.J.) playing to a 1-1 draw in a consolation game.
PHOTO | MATTHEW FREEDMAN
TOP: During the final NJCAA division 1 men’s soccer championship game on November 22, 2009, Tyler Junior College Sophomore Forward Kenny Mena rises above Georgian Perimeter College Freshman Midfielder Juan David Arbelaez. ABOVE: Tyler Junior College Freshman Forward standout Dom Dwyer had 15 goals and 5 assists in 14 games played this season.
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Arts &
Students serve up a disco fabulous Gynt By Sara Gatling The College Voice
Gynt in Progress, an outstanding psychedelic reproduction of Henrik Ibsen’s Peer Gynt, played the weekend of December 4 at the Studio Theatre. The production was directed by Jody P. Person, Professor of Theater Arts, in collaboration with the entire cast, who distilled the four-hour play to the essence of each scene. Peer Gynt is the tale of a man with an overactive imagination who is constantly shirking responsibilities. The strong point of the production was the fact that it was extremely multifaceted. There wasn’t just acting to pay attention to; there were eye-catching costumes, an ongoing stream of disco music and four televisions displaying an array of changing images. “This is theatre for the A.D.D…it’s democratic theatre. You get to choose what you want to watch and we give you plenty to choose from,” said Professor Jody Person. The music was pivotal in the development of the performance and Fredy Barrientos (a.k.a. DJ Flako) made it happen. He said he sorted through track after track, trying to find the perfect song to express the motivation behind each scene. There were times Barrientos had to mix his own tracks, such as in Act IV which needed a combination of both disco and Egyptian influences. The score included “If I Can’t Have You,” “Shake Your Booty,” “Jive Talking” and Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 5.” The music played softly enough beneath the actors’ lines not to distract
PHOTO | Abby Mulvaney
Elisa Jankowski, Daniel Lownie, Chalene Jamison, Mark J. Naprawa and Kyra Williams in Gynt. from the scene but loud enough to add to the mood of the scene. The audience quietly sang along, mouthing the words, humming and shimmying in their seats with every familiar song. Another interesting addition to the play was the use of video clips, which were played on four small TVs, two each on either side of the stage, one slightly in front of the other. Tyann Sells sorted through video clips with the help of Jody Person. “I tried to focus on the heart of each scene…so the clips could enhance, not distract from it,” said Sells. The clips included everything from dirt crumbling down a man’s bare upper back to factory smoke stacks. The clips were also used at times in
lieu of a backdrop or prop, such as in a scene where Peer’s mother, Aase, points to a clip on the screen of a dilapidated window when showing Peer how beat up their house has become. The TVs also showed a close up of leaves during a scene that took place in the forest. In addition to the music and video, the actors were used unconventionally. There were times when actors represented inanimate objects or animals. The play opened with an actress holding a golden dear bust above her head and slowly moving her hips to represent a deer Peer had tried to hunt. In a later scene the same actress played the Sphinx, modeling the famous pose of the monument with a ribbon draped over her head and down to her arms
representing the Sphinx’s headdress. While all the acting was spectacular, the standout performance of the night was that of Mark Naprawa. The audience was involved during the entire performance, whether dodging actors running in and out of the aisles or getting spit on by sailors. However, they were never more involved than during Naprawa’s performance as an asylum patient. In several instances, Naprawa’s character escaped from the nurse trying to control him and ran up to audience members, getting right in their faces, sometimes laughing or simply staring until the nurse came to retrieve him and save the audience member he was harassing. It felt as
though one were taking part at recess at a mental institution. Another stand-out performance came from Richelle Leigh Bodenseik, particularly as Aase and an asylum patient. As Aase, Bodensick brought to life a sometimes comical and at other times heart-wrenching caricature of a mother never willing to give up on and constantly defending her “little boy.” As an asylum patient, Bodensick, with disheveled hair, followed around Peer and other asylum patients repeating what they were saying in a high squeaky voice, cackling and meowing. The cast had no qualms about adding sexuality to the endeavour either and there were several scenes which caused audience members to gasp and laugh. In one scene Peer takes Solveig behind the curtain. Moans, groans and “Oh, Peer!” can be heard. There was also a wonderfully choreographed “Troll Orgy” in which the cast was close to topless with a triangular garment hanging over their chests, bumping and grinding to the music, trading and fighting for different partners. Laughs rose from the audience at innuendos like Peer’s “I’ll give you great wisdom from the inside – long and hard.” Overall Gynt: In Progress can be called nothing less than a success. From start to finish the audience was engaged on a number of levels, always with their eyes on stage, engrossed in every scene. Gynt: In Progress easily transported any disco-psychedelia-loving audience member to a place they would love to go on vacation.
Rockettes’ rocky road at Radio City
Christmas Spectacular better for children than adults By Sara Gatling The College Voice
At the matinee performance of the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall on December 3, the show opened with the Rockettes performing a dance number dressed as reindeer. The Rockettes, famous for the synchronization of their elaborate choreography, were out of sync. Whether it was due to the fact that it was the end of the week, end of the day or some extenuating circumstance, they just weren’t up to snuff. As the show progressed their synchronization improved, but for the amount of hype and high cost of the show tickets, the performance should have been tight from the get-go. The choreography was impressive overall, especially around the third scene, in which the Rockettes were dressed up like toy soldiers. The women lined up across the stage, shoulder to shoulder, half facing the audience, the other half facing away and the whole
line rotated one way and then the other around the stage like a dial on a spinner. After about five minutes of, at this point, well-synchronized and precise dancing, the Rockettes once more formed a horizontal line, this time face to back, and as a result of being “shot” by a cannon began to topple over like dominos. The most impressive part of this number is that the collapsing happens in slow motion. Each Rockette locks elbows with the one in front of her and very slowly bends backwards, from front to back, until the entire line is on the ground, one Rockette on top of another, the last falling onto a giant down pillow. The physical skill and the amount of team coordination required to execute this is, indeed, spectacular. Star of the Christmas season, but not the Spectacular, was Santa. Santa’s first appearance is in a short, 3-D clip of him flying down from the clouds in his sleigh and zooming around New York City until
he reaches the Music Hall. The entire audience, all wearing 3-D glasses, oohed and aaahed at St. Nick’s approach. Throughout his short journey, threedimensional presents fell out of the sleigh, geese flew about and sparkly stars floated, all heading straight towards each audience member. The 3-D effect was good, but Santa was essentially a nuisance. Throughout the show he got on the audience’s case for not saying “Merry Christmas” loudly enough. He shooed a large dancing teddybear-ballerina off the stage and following a reprimand, he pleaded with a 14-year-old to believe in Santa and the magic of Christmas. Scene four, which Santa described as a “returning to traditions,” consisted of the first scene of George Balanchine’s Nutcracker with all of the characters except Clara played by life-size, cartoon-animal-looking versions of themselves. The Nutcracker was a dog, the sugar
plum fairies were bears, the clowns were mice. It was campy to the extreme. “I liked the mouses the best! They were silly,” said Juliette Carter, six years old, from Danbury, CT. “I like that the little bear fell, I laughed so hard,” said Ben, Juliette’s 11-year-old brother. Yes, one of the smaller silly-looking bears accidently tripped and fell while exiting the stage. While the scene was clearly geared toward children like Juliette and Ben who obviously appreciated it, Ballanchine had to have been turning in his grave. The props and sets were grand and beautifully made, but it seems as though technology got the best of the backdrop design. The backdrops were all digitized; they consisted of digital renditions of larger-than-life ornaments, falling snow, Times Square, Santa’s workshops, all in clunky CGI that was reminiscent of Warner Brothers’ 2004 film The Polar Express. The highlight in terms
of props, if not of the whole show, was an actual frozen “pond” in the middle of the stage in which a couple figure skated during the New York at Christmastime scene. The second to last scene consisted of a classic “Living Nativity,” which featured live, well-behaved camels and sedated-looking sheep. As they filed out of the mezzanine Juliette said “I wanna tomorrow to see it again!,” to which Ben responded, “No way, not again.” In short, the show was perfect for children up to the age of 11, maybe a 12 year old girl who enjoys seeing dancing, and those children’s parents. Everyone else, especially anyone with a critical eye, would be better off spending the ticket money on a holiday party or a couple of extra gifts for that special someone.
Entertainment
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Mercer’s Late Night Series is back and better than ever
The open mic talent show features skits, poetry, music and hilarity for free By Brendan Belluscio Reporter
Artists of all kinds showcased their talents at Mercer’s Studio Theatre in another installment of the long-running Late Night Series. Students and other locals were provided with a free, open-mic opportunity to showcase their talents or see some local entertainment on a cold November night. Before the showcase began, students congregated around the Studio Theater in anticipation of the show. The Studio Theater has a dark and cozy atmosphere and features seating that is very close to the small stage. The night’s acts included poetry readings, a dramatic monologue, musicians, comedy groups and a featured performance by the Los Angeles-based touring production College the Musical: A Musical About College. The poetry readings ranged from dramatic to silly, detailing topics such as feelings for suffering friends, the inhalation of cigarettes, and the quirky working environment of the Olive Garden. The four-person “Culture Shock” and “Keegan and George: Other Shit” were two of the comedy groups to perform. “Culture Shock” delivered a topical Twilight Parody, rapidfire sketches and an improvisational comedy section fueled by
PHOTO | CJ HARKER
Poet Leah Alabre performs at Late Night Series. PHOTO | CJ HARKER
The comedy troupe “Culture Shock” parody of the movie Twilight at Late Night Series. audience participation. “Other Shit” is an avant-garde comedy duo with music who relied on tight delivery and drumbeats to provide humor. “Culture Shock” member Solomon Mason, a Theater major, describes performing at Late Night Series as, “fun and exhilarating” and “something everyone should do once.” College the Musical: A Musical About College stars Kelly Meyersfield and Evan Wecksell, two veterans of comedy club and college show tours. Written by Meyersfield, the
show details the highs and lows of college life and relationships. According to Wecksell, “the idea for the show came from a play we were trying to make about alcohol awareness. It came out too preachy so it grew into College the Musical.” The show combines comedic musical numbers from Wecksell’s solo tours with Meyersfield’s creative writing. “We love playing small crowds. It reminds me of a similar creative space in my hometown,” said Wecksell after the show.
The show ended around midnight with three songs provided by students from East Brunswick High School. By then, most of the students had left the Studio Theater, but those that remained at the Late Night Series applauded the musicians. Once the host closed the show, audience members were able to talk to the performers who stayed to watch the show. Bartholomew Battista, a Communications major, hosted the Late Night Series, providing one-liners and light banter as he introduced acts. “The Late
Night Series provides students an outlet for creativity with no limitations. Artists get to come and have a full crowd of people to entertain,” said Battista. The theater was filled with a spirited audience that alternately berated the host, cheered loudly for the performances and provided first-time attendees with a good look at the talent available in the Mercer community . One first-time attendee, Graham Bessellieu, a junior Film major from Emerson, said, “It was cool to see all these people doing what they love up there on the stage for their classmates.”
Kelsey’s Theatre’s production of A Chistmas Story as good as the film By Peter Cosma Reporter
A Christmas Story, the Pennington Players’ live rendition of the classic holiday film, rang in the holiday season at Mercer’s Kelsey Theatre on Thanksgiving weekend. By combining strong source material with standout performances from Steve Decker, as the narrator, and Jason Wilks, as Ralphie, A Christmas Story delivers an entertaining show for all to enjoy. Directed by M. Kitty Getlick, Kelsey Theatre’s Artistic Director, the stage production of A Christmas Story resurrects the twisted charm of the 1983 film of the same name while providing enough new moments to entertain members of the audience who are already acquainted with the film. “I think Kitty’s idea was to not necessarily copy the movie, but to capture the spirit of the movie, and still give people that have seen [it] something to keep them interested and amused,” says Decker. Like the film, the play is based on a story by Jean Shepherd. It follows Ralphie Parker, a 9-year-old boy growing up in Midwestern America in the 1930’s. Ralph, the grown-up Ralphie, narrates the story as the audience sees it acted out. He reminisces about events that took place up to and including one particularly eventful
Christmas, speaking in a style of prose unique to Shepherd, who also narrated the film. As one crazy event after another occurs, Ralphie remains driven to acquire the greatest Christmas gift he could ever receive, a “Red Ryder 200-shot carbineaction range model air rifle.” A testament to the quality of the performance, the audience, which consisted mostly of families and kids, was entertained throughout, despite the fact that the play was about two and a half hours long. “I think [the actors] were really good,” said Holly Brodowski, of Chesterfield. “I liked it when the kid said, ‘Oh fudge!’” she added. “I thought it was great. Ralphie did a good job. The storyteller was excellent,” said Bonnie Kisco, of Lawrenceville. Indeed he was. As the narrator, Decker, a veteran stage actor, brings a sense of nostalgia and a talent for storytelling to the play as he transports the audience to 1930’s Midwestern America. His tone of voice, delivery, and comedic timing rival that of Shepherd. He also benefits from the script which routinely provides such memorable lines as, “He (the father) worked in profanity the way other artists worked in oils or clay. He was a master at it.” Wilks does well playing Decker’s alter-ego, young Ralphie. Wearing glasses and a
COLLEGE VOICE | FILE PHOTO
Kevin Hallam, Jason Wilks, and Laurie Gougher star in the Kelsey Theatre production of A Christmas Story. sweater, he looks the part and he keeps the audience entertained by fearlessly and enthusiastically interpreting the character. “I try not to copy the movie. There were some moments in the movie that I thought Ralphie played spot-on and I tried to incorporate that into my performance,” says Wilks. The “oh fudge” scene, which got the biggest laugh, was one of those moments, he says. Laurie Gougher plays Ralphie’s Mother and Kevin Hallam plays the Father. They provide some laughs for older members of the audience as
they argue over the answers to crossword puzzles and wage war over the “Leg Lamp.” Marc Caiola rounds out the family as Randy, Ralphie’s little brother. Taylor Hoogsteden brings something new to the play as Esther Jane, and Madeline Wasson plays Helen. Both characters were largely ignored by the film, but are more prominent in the play. The action in “A Christmas Story” takes place primarily in the Parker’s home, a set with a complete dine-in kitchen on the left and a living room on the right. The décor, including
a large wooden radio, is consistent with the 1930’s. Further, the visual appeal of the play is improved by situating Ralphie’s bedroom in the upper left part of the stage, and, the most impressive piece of the set, a smoking furnace vent located center stage. In a memorable scene, smoke billows from it as Father yells, “aha, aha, it’s a clinker!” A disappointment was the omission of some jokes and entire scenes, from the film. Everyone has their favorite moments and bringing them all together in a live production certainly would have been a challenge. However, it was disappointing that a few of the film’s best jokes were among those changed or removed. For example, the celebrated Chinese restaurant scene was cut. While some things are lost, thankfully most of the memorable moments are included in the play. Overall, A Christmas Story is thoroughly enjoyable, especially for families and kids. Strong performances by all the main characters make it worthwhile. While many audience members will undoubtedly compare it to the film, it tells the story in a way both different and equally entertaining. Seeing it live is a unique experience that is very different from watching the movie.
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PROFILE
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: Former Plainsboro police chief
Criminal Justice Professor Elizabeth Bondurant brings 25 years of hands on experience By Dmitry Gurvits The College Voice
New Criminal Justice Professor Elizabeth Bondurant says of her previous job, “I really enjoyed being in patrol. I was pretty aggresive with my patrol tactics...I always liked to go out and make arrests...I wrote a lot of tickets.” Bondurant started out in the patrol division of the Plainsboro Police Department. However, despite her bulletproof blue-eyed gaze, her spiked red hair, and the fact that she bench presses 205 pounds, Bondurant is more than just a retired cop. A graduate of East Stroudsburg State University with a B.S. in Health and Education, Professor Bondurant has always envisioned herself as a teacher, saying she has now come full circle. Now in her first year as a full-time faculty member in the Criminal Justice department at Mercer, after teaching part-time for twelve years, Bondurant says, “I don’t think there’s a big transition between being a police officer and being a teacher, because you need to have good communication skills... you need to be able to handle people...yourself... [and] be self-motivated, if you’re going to be good.” She took that approach in her 25-year law enforcement career, and she’s taking it now. Bondurant retired from Plainsboro Police Department as Chief in 2008. She says of the experience: “it was a great job. I left at the top of my game...I feel like I really left a thumbprint.” Beginning on patrol in 1983, Bondurant felt she had to do “a little bit more to be accepted,” she said, adding that people were “probably a little more disrespectful to [her] than they would a male officer.” She was so tough, in fact, that she reports people said she’d “probably give [her] mother a ticket,” and a fellow officer once described her saying she’s “not by the book, she is the book”, a reputation
Professor of Criminal Justice and former Plainsboro Police Chief Elizabeth Bondurant.
that she says she’ll “take any day of the week”. Retired Lt. William Kugel, a colleague of Bondurant’s for 24 years, said “she came in and she realized that she was in a role...that was dominated by men and I think she was out to prove herself and she was always a very hard worker.” After being promoted from street duty after eleven years –four as a patrolman and juvenile detective and seven as a sergeant– Bondurant did the work of two or even three people when she became a lieutenant, says Ret. Lt. Kugel. “She had a lot of responsibility on her hands and she did well with it,” Kugel says. In fact, when Bondurant was promoted to captain 10 years later, two people were bumped up to fill her old post. Her list of obligations, in addition to overseeing the day-to-day business of the 25 officers in her command, included teaching CPR, being the internal affairs investigator, teaching at the police academy and writing departmental policy. “It’s definitely just as stressful, and weighs on you, as being on the road. It might even be more stressful,” Bondurant says. A major theme of her policing career was a focus on education. “I believe in the mission of the police agency, and I believe that a police officer
PHOTO | DMITRY GURVITS
should be professional at all times, and I believe that you need to lead by example. I can’t expect people to want to further their education if I didn’t do it myself. Education has always been important to me,” Bondurant says.
“She came in and she realized that she was in a role...that was dominated by men and I think she was out to prove herself and she was always a very hard worker.” -Ret. Lt. William Kugel Even after entering law enforcement, which she did because teaching jobs weren’t available, Bondurant worked rotating shifts in order to complete an M.A. in Criminal Justice from Jersey City University. On her own time, Bondurant began taking certified public management courses while still a ser-
PHOTO | DMITRY GURVITS
geant, before she was sent by the department as part of her professional development once she was promoted to lieutenant. In addition, Bondurant was trained as a blood-borne pathogen instructor. She also holds several certifications she obtained online, augmenting her professionally-mandated education. “I did all that on my own. So, I always felt like it was a growth process for me both professionally and personally. It was my career and I wanted to be the best I could be,” she said. Now that she’s out of law enforcement, she feels she has the best of both worlds. “I have all the positives of my last job, and none of the negatives,” Bondurant says, smiling. Not content to simply teach, she’s taking on responsibility at Mercer too. Already she’s getting involved with Scott Lowe in the Fire Academy and Bryon Marshall in Security and working to create a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) on campus. Another goal she has is to create a volunteer credit for students who want to become CERT members. She hopes to “show [students] about volunteerism...and how to be better prepared in an emergency.” These types of synergies are where she feels she’ll be most effective, bringing together oth-
erwise separate departments of the school. She says she would also like to use her experience with the Department of Homeland Security, where she worked for eight months after leaving policing, to create a Homeland Security and Emergency Management certificate or degree program. Calling them “big projects that will take time,” Bondurant always has the future in mind. Bondurant’s ability to see the big picture, to set goals and then work steadily to achieve them, is one of the reasons she retired from her job as police chief after completing only half the time of her original contract. Her administrative team at the Plainsboro Police Deparment, Ret. Lt. Kugel, Lt. DeSimone, and current Chief Furda, were all close to possible retirement as well and she felt that staying would not lead the agency to the future. “By me leaving in 2008, that enabled a seasoned Lieutenant [Furda], somebody with 24, 25 years experience, to take over as chief and bring some of these younger guys, the supervisors, the sergeants, to the lieutenant position and mentor them and get them ready to take over,” she said. When asked why he thought Prof. Bondurant decided to step down early, Ret. Lt. Kugel said “Liz had a love for the job, and love for Plainsboro... why she didn’t stay three years...I can only think it was because life is short and there’s other places you can be.” “By being engaged and involved, you make things happen,” says Bondurant. Despite the substantial goals she has set, she says she’s quite happy. She has a boxer puppy that she’s raising, or, she says, may be raising her, and she’s looking forward to reading the next Malcolm Gladwell book and rooting for the Eagles. “I’m smiling,” she says, adding, “now I just look at it as it’s all good, it’s all mentoring, helping these students.”
PHOTO FEATURE
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POLICE ACADEMY 12 - 14 - 09
BY CHRIS SZAKOLCZAI
PART 4: EYES ON FIRE – We continue the VOICE photo feature, an on-going photo
journalism project by senior Staff Photographer Chris Szakolczai, documenting the activities of the Mercer County Police Academy, which is housed on MCCC’s West Windsor campus.
TOP: Recruit Hulse forces his eyes open as he recovers from the OC spray. RIGHT: Recruit M. Paglione receives his dose of OC spray. ABOVE: Recruit Brown (kneeling) forces his eyes open as recruit Hopkins (standing) washes out his eyes.
Pepper spray, or as it is known in law enforcement OC spray (for “Oleoresin Capsicum”) is composed of oils from the hottest peppers from around the world, and is often used in riot control and self defense. When it comes in contact with the eyes, OC spray causes a burning sensation, tears and even temporary blindness. All police academy recruits are required to endure the effects of pepper spray first hand so they know its power and potential. Some recruits were quick to recover and assist others in washing out their eyes, while other recruits found themselves completely disabled for an extended period of time. On a rainy morning recruits of the 04-09 class were paired up and instructed to form a line. One partner held a water bottle, while the other was to be sprayed. Following the spray, recruits were instructed to drop down and complete 20 pushups before they could receive relief from
their fellow recruit holding the water bottle. Most recruits fell to their knees in agony, while a few walked around and pried their eyes open trying to direct their face toward the cooling wind and falling rain. As each recruit managed to complete the push-ups and received relief from the water bottle and rain, many were overheard describing their experience as,“just terrible.” Now as almost a year has passed, the recruits can laugh about the experience but they still describe it as one they hope to never experience again. Many of them may, however, undergo the process a number of times throughout their law enforcement career as they attend various types of training. All the instructors at the academy have been sprayed multiple times during their careers. The spraying reminds officers that nonlethal weapons can be extremely powerful when used in the right situations.
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“Some customers, they steal soda, and they put it in their pocket and walk out of here like its nothing.” -Vladimir Valdes
“Two boys kissing.” -Richard Richardson
Ever wonder what life is like for The VOICE asked employees: thing you have seen whi Here are ther
Barbara’s Hungarian Ewing’s best kept secret
Barbara Kolarovszki of Barbara’s Hungarian in Ewing. a little sample. By Sara Gatling The menu is in both The College Voice English and Hungarian and consists of entrees like breaded Barbara’s Hungarian Food is pork cutlet, chicken breast with a small restaurant tucked in mushroom sauce, a variety of the corner of Serenity Plaza on stews or “paprikas,” stuffed pepParkway Ave in Ewing. pers and cabbage. Most entrees Upon arriving the cus- include the customer’s choice tomer is greeted by a warm of dumplings or “spatzels,” smile from a waitress that is mashed potatoes, white rice eager seat them and take their with peas or “parsley potato.” orders. The room has the feel of One standout dish was a country cottage with 12 plain the pork with sauerkraut which wood tables with white legs goes wonderfully with dumpthat seat four to six patrons, the lings. The pork is cut into bitewalls are decorated with Hun- sized cubes and mixed with garian textiles, embroidered sauerkraut in a small amount tablecloths, handkerchiefs and of soupy sauce with a blend of dresses, as well as photos of different spices. All of the inHungary. Adding to the cottage gredients are cooked to perfecambience is the fact that the tion, the sauerkraut is not too food is served in white Corelle crunchy or too soggy and the tableware with blue designs pork is so tender it melts in your around the top edge. mouth. Barbara herself stands The dumplings are not at the stove or grill cooking up the big ball, mushy ones found delicious, traditional Hungar- in a typical southern “chicken ian dishes and if you’re lucky and dumpling” dish, but are she’ll have some extra of what- more similar to gnocchi, only a ever she’s making and give you bit smaller. This dish with a bit
PHOTO | MATTHEW FREEDMAN
of sour cream mixed in makes for the perfect winter meal; it is hearty and comforting. For desert there is a choice between cottage cheese, apple or cherry strudel (which is kind of like a pie) or cottage cheese or peach jam crepes. The crepes are a little thick and floury but taste delicious nonetheless. If for no other reason, go to Barbara’s for her chicken soup; the only way you’ll find anything remotely as good is if you slave for hours over a stove making it yourself or are lucky enough to have a relative do it for you. Barbara’s soup is made from scratch and has huge chunks of chicken and carrots and halved celery stalks. Also floating around in the delicious broth are lots of tiny noodles. So next time you have the sniffles, rather than getting out the usual can of Campbell’s Condensed Chicken and Noodle Soup, take a trip to Barbara’s for the real thing.
Mercer Stud cafeteria
The VOICE surve students, facul members to find out PHOTO | MATTHEW FREEDMAN experiences and view cafeteria (“The C the student cen Half asked cafeter of the about their ex 46 survey employees (s respondents above). Re said they eat in plate for the cafe between one results and four times per week. how peo The average amount of view m money spent by each dinin respondent was $4 to $6. When asked what their favorite feature of the caf experience is, 39 percent of respondents indicated that they had none, even though that wasn’t one of the choices offered on the survey. Twenty-two percent of respondents said the food was their favorite feature. Eleven percent of respondents said food Wh and value were their favorite ask features. Three percent said to g the ambiance is their thr favorite feature. adject describe responde the followi expensive, afforable, unk unbearable, gross fast, pitiful, myste tasteless, depressing, unsanitary, good, big, q rude, stale, over-cooked, loud, sketchy, nasty
SHOUT
We asked and y
What is the Sarah Hall
Jared Schuster
Brittani Pisco
Dwayne Derry
“A waitress asked my brother, ‘Sir would you like soup or salad?’ and he said ‘yes, I’ll have the super salad.”
“Two waiters collided into each other and one fell onto a table with food on it”
“My manager got into a fight with an employee while customers were in the restaurant.”
“On a first date, the girl introduced me to everybody there, the coworkers she just met... everybody!”
dining expe
have ev
r a cafeteria worker at Mercer? : what is the strangest hile working in the caf? re answers.
dent Center ia survey
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“Customers come in, fill up their bag, and walk out the door and say ‘why do I have to pay for it’.” -on the condition of anonymity
“People come in here and don’t know what to order, and they’ve been going here for mad years.” -Keith Jackson
Kenji Fusion 2 doesn’t live up to the original
he veyed 46 lty and staff more about their PHOTO | CJ HARKER views on the Mercer CAF”) located in When nter. Then we asked ria workers why they xperiences as ate at the caf, see quotes 85 percent of Read the survey respondents r survey said convenience. about Other reasons cited were eople prices, the social aspect, mercer hunger, desparation and three ng. respondents said they eat in the PHOTO | CJ HARKER A playful way to serve dinner at Kenji Fusion 2 in Hamilton, NJ. caf because of the taste of By Ron Russell III the food. to switch plates due to the fact and instead reflects as much Senior Reporter that the person delivering the taste and texture as Campbell’s When Kenji Fusion on route 33 in food who don’t know who has condensed tomato soup made survey Hamilton has justifiably re- which dish. While this might be with water, shellfish stock and respondents were asked ceived rave reviews from many expected at a mom and pop res- too much salt. The highlight of the what they would change about the locals, but if you’re expecting taurant or low level sport bar, it doesn’t make sense in a restaurestaurant is its sushi which, alcafeteria if they could change anything, brother restaurant, Kenji Furant that charges up to $30 for though should be served colder, sion 2 to be exactly the same, surprisingly 20 percent said they would an entrée. The communication is rolled skillfully with perfectly you will find it leaves a lot to be change the prices even though value problems were summed up in cooked, tender sushi rice. desired. hen was given one of the stronger one incident observed during Other dishes lacking Kenji Fusion 2, located ked this reviewer’s visit: a couple the “oomph” implied by the ratings when participants ranked on Rt. 130 south of Hamilton, give was asked by a server if they’d price tag are the osso bucco –a elements on a scale of 1 to 10. is clearly popular based on the care for dessert or prefer the veal dish – which at Kenji Furee busy crowd it has at 6:30 on a Ten percent of respondents weekend evening, though it check to which they responded sion 2 is served as an extremely tives to said they would make fatty cut barely worth the $22 could be busier. The menu is “we haven’t eaten yet.” e the caf, the cafeteria food While the shrimp temprice tag and the Brazilian BBQ extensive, drawing inspiration ents gave pura is expertly fried, leaving which feature charred chicken healthier. from French, Japanese, and ing answers: a light, crispy coating which and overly-fenneled lamb sauBrazilian cuisine. Fusion 2 ofbrings out the sweet flavors of sage. convenient, fers a wide assortment of hot the shrimp, flavors of the ac The saving grace of the and cold appetizers, soups and kempt, greasy, companying kochujan sauce dessert menu is the deep-fried salads and sushi and sashimi. s, cheap, crowded, and wasabi aoli were too subtle cheesecake which consists of a Also included on the menu is erious, sweaty, cold, and left the dish tasting flat. huge mound of gourmet quality a overwhelmingly long list of great, satisfying, clean, The lobster bisque, recheesecake battered in tempura main courses, as well as a raw quick, filing, old, lacking, shellfish bar, multi-course tast- gardless of how tasty and tender and deep-fried to a golden colthe chunks of lobster floating in or yet retaining a molten center. ing menu and a kid’s menu. , under-cooked, yummy, The first major problem the soup are, leaves the senses This dessert is pure heaven on a y, good and hostile. disappointed. The dish lacks plate but mostly the restaurant is that the server taking orders is not the same person who delivers the food. Patrons are forced
the hints of saffron and creaminess necessary for any bisque
Ben Frias
Kiara Jumper
Ahmit Elsayed
Samantha Moreland
“A girl’s boyfriend got mad when I brough her a soda. He got so pissed he grabbed a plate and threw it at me.”
“A man stood in [my restaurant] for two hours just to ask me my name.”
“They were giving out free tacos until 9:00, at 8:59 they said no, it’s 9... people were throwing chairs around.”
“My step dad, a chef, had to give a guy the hiemlich maneuver, and later on the guy tried to sue him.”
does not deserve the hype.
SHOUT OUT:
you answered
e strangest
erience you
ver had?
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VIEWPOINTS
Motorcycle safety laws not strong enough for teens THE WAY IT IS
Lisa Olson My 17-year-old brother laughs at me as he puts on his motorcycle helmet and heavy nylon jacket; he’s all geared up for a ride around the neighborhood. I’ve just finished giving him my “motorcycles are too dangerous for any little brother of mine” speech and he doesn’t take it too seriously. Like many young riders, he doesn’t take the dangers of riding a motorcycle seriously either. Young or old, any person who drives a vehicle assumes a level of responsibility for themselves and other drivers on the road. Young people
in particular have difficulty recognizing this responsibility and often find themselves in accidents that could have been prevented had they been a bit older and in turn, more mature. This is not to say that every young person is irresponsible or every experienced rider is cautious. Studies show, however, that the brain is not fully developed until after the teenage years. According to a collaborative study conducted by Cornell University, University of Rochester and the NYS Center for School Safety, “the greatest changes to the parts of the brain that are responsible for functions such as self-control, judgment, emotions and organization occur between puberty and adulthood. This may help to explain certain teenage behavior such as poor decisionmaking and recklessness.” Current New Jersey motorcycle laws simply do not take this sort of scientific material into account and 17 years old is considered old enough to receive a motorcycle license. It is a scary fact that people with under-developed brains are al-
lowed to control such dangerous and fast vehicles. Our society has acknowledged the dangers of allowing young people to drive cars. There are laws in New Jersey that protect young drivers from dangers they face on the road. For example, first time drivers can’t drive after midnight and are not allowed to drive with more than one passenger. These are effective laws put in place to keep young car drivers safe on the road, but there aren’t nearly as many when it comes to young motorcycle drivers. From the earliest stages, motorcyclists have an easier time obtaining a license, enabling them to glide effortlessly into the path of danger and perhaps death. Any person applying for a standard driver’s license must first pass a road test to test their skills of driving, and applied knowledge of road rules. This is not always the case for motorcyclists. As stated on the Motorcycle Manual issued by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, “an applicant may obtain a road test waiver
now,” said second-year Mercer student Dan Vuckevich. Last year, when I was a student at Virginia Tech and not an athlete, the registration process affected me and my friends much more than any other part of the college experience. “I know last year here, I couldn’t get into a lot of the classes that were offered later in the day because most of them had been taken up. So I had to take classes that started really early in the morning,” said Virginia Tech sophomore Al TitusGlover. Sitting in dorms, we would wait until midnight the day before course requests began so that we could get the best choices. Despite our efforts, we often got only half the classes we needed. The way it works is that there is a prioritizing process involved. A computer identifies who is who and gives preference to some students over others. These students include athletes, honor students and special-needs students. It is perfectly reasonable to give precedence to the last two groups, but the inclusion of the athletes is absurd. Not even students on academic scholarship get this privilege, and they often find themselves working harder as a result. Some students coming into advising offices over the next few weeks will be crushed to find out they can’t get into the classes they want and need. Mercer students, who often have to schedule class around their jobs, may find that the classes they need are no longer available, causing considerable panic and forcing students to make difficult choices.
How can we solve this problem? It’s simple. A new process is needed. One possible arrangement would be for certain classes to be designated specifically for student athletes, keeping them on similar tracks and making sure those sections meet at times of day that don’t conflict with practices and games. But some might argue that those separate classes might be easier or somehow unequal to their counterparts. A simpler way to handle the situation would be to make athletes register just like everyone else and put the burden on the athletes to complete the process properly. Athletes would need to meet with their advisor to choose courses, then register as soon as regular registration opens, selecting sections that don’t conflict with their sports schedule. Athletes who fail to do this should be benched until they can fix the problem (by taking an online or 10-week section). Working students have been figuring out how to do this for years and athletes should take their sport as a job and behave in a professional manner, being responsible for their own time and for the consequences of poor planning. Athletes should be held to higher, not lower standards, otherwise they will just live up to the stereotype of being dumb jocks who can’t think for themselves. Coaches and advisors can help with encouragement and advice, but athletes should ultimately fend for themselves. If we do not institute such a plan, the school is simply giving a privilege to a student group that does not deserve it.
by successfully completing a Motorcycle Safety Education Program.” As for regulating drivers once they obtain a license, New Jersey laws are much more lax on motorcyclists than they are on drivers of automobiles. On the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) website you’ll find how low the standards are for motorcyclists. One prime example is that there are no restrictions on helmet speakers, whereas in comparison, driving a car while using headphones will land you a ticket. According to ConsumerReports.org, “Motorcycle deaths are on the rise, while automotive fatalities are decreasing. The trends do reflect an increasing number of younger motorcyclists piloting performance bikes, as well as continued improvement in car safety.” Car makers have the advantage of reinforcing the shell of a car to protect its passengers but there is no possibility of similar protection on a motorcycle. For many, the very appeal of driving a motorcycle
lies in the danger of the activity and the adrenaline rush of accelerating to high speeds. “Inexperienced riders cause many more crashes,” says the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety on their website. They go on to say, “if you’re involved in a motorcycle crash in New Jersey, statistics show that you have a 75 percent chance of being injured.” I’d like to think that with these facts, no parent or lawmaker would ever allow, or at least not encourage, new drivers to explore the congested and perilous roads of New Jersey on a motorcycle. Unfortunately driving motorcycles is allowed and the lax rules behind motorcycle laws and obtaining a license encourage it by making it easier to do than getting a driver’s license. Each year more young people choose to ride motorcycles instead of opting for the protection of a full motor vehicle. Based on new studies on adolescent brains and the horrific statistics of motorcycle–related deaths, New Jersey simply should not allow young people to obtain motorcycle licenses.
Student athletes should not be allowed to register early By Kevin Boyle Reporter
Students are beginning to select classes for next semester. Many students haven’t started this process yet, but one group that certainly has is the college athletes. In almost every college across the nation, student athletes get the first pick of classes or get assigned to classes first and the same is true at Mercer. Most schools say the goal is to ensure class schedules don’t conflict with practice times, but that reason isn’t good enough. It is not fair to regular students that athletes get priority for registration. I have experienced the registration process from both perspectives and at different institutions. Currently I am on Mercer’s campus as a student athlete. Even though I get an advantage, I still feel that this is unfair. Every student is working hard to get good grades and it’s not fair for some to get a leg up on others in the registration process. Getting the classes one wants and needs is a significant factor in how well students do in class. For those who might be unfamiliar with the situation, student athletes get the first choice of classes, so they usually choose the ones with desirable characteristics – convenient times, better (often athletes equate this with easier) teachers and the best classes for fulfilling core requirement. The advantages are obvious and for regular students they can be maddening. “When I found out that athletes get the first pick of classes I was outraged. It makes me want to try out for a team
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Fall Session Dates: 15 Week ............................................... ........January 25 - May 17 10 Week ............................................................March 1 - May 17 5 Week ................................................. January 25 - February 26
Don’t miss out! Talk to your faculty advisor to find the right classes for you! Longing for a challenge? Consider the Honors Program! If your GPA is 3.5+ and you’ve completed 12+ credits, contact program coordinator Prof. Carol Bork at borkc@mccc.edu or 609-586-4800 ext. 3890 Or drop by LA 172 for more info.
2010
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VOICE the college
Editorial Board
MY VIEW
Staff
Photography Sandra Isaac, Senior Photographer Matt Freedman, Staff Photographer CJ Harker, Staff Photographer
Alumni Contributors Matt Williams, Reporter Emeritus Mike Kay, Photographer Emeritus Chris Szakolczai, Photographer Emeritus
Faculty Advisers Holly-Katharine Mathews Michael Dalton, Photography Alex DeFazio, Layout & Editing
CORRECTION:
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Boys need to pull up their sagging pants
Sara Gatling, Editor in Chief Dmitry Gurvits, Managing Editorw Brian Edgeworth, Copy Editor Ron Russell III, Science Editor Mina Farag, Web Editor Christopher Collins, Office Manager
DeChele Covington, Senior Reporter Jackie Pachuta, Senior Reporter Amber Zahn, Senior Reporter Brendan Belluscio, Reporter Sarah Gladwin, Reporter David Hoyt, Reporter Kenneth Napier, Reporter Vincent Parrelli, Reporter Sarina Prior, Reporter Ariana Renick, Reporter Jaime Slemmon, Reporter Alison Temming, Reporter Kelly Wittkop, Staff Copy Editor
the college
DeChele Covington The unfortunate trend of men wearing their pants beyond their butts, “bustin’ a sag” has been rearing its ugly face since the late 80’s. Tragically, the sag has outlived its close, female cousin, the “exposed thong,” present in the mid to late 90s and still haunts urban, rural and suburban communities from Baltimore to Budapest. President Obama said in an MTV interview with Sway Calloway, “brothers should pull up their pants…You are walking by your mother, your grandmother, your underwear is showing.” But these men’s mothers and grandmothers have no doubt seen them in
their underwear, it’s the rest of us poor souls who have no relation to them that they are disrespecting. As President Obama aptly put it during the same MTV interview, “Some people might not want to see your underwear-I’m one of them,” As a personal supplement to that quote, “some people” is pretty much everyone. J. Alexander Martin, vice-president of the somewhat trendy clothing company, FUBU, said “Guys who wear their pants sagging are just following a trend. It’s worn by mostly the youth in the streets. Wearing your pants this way is relaxing and shows confidence; almost rebellious” and later added, “It bothers me in the work place. I insist that my male employees pull their pants up! When you’re off work you can do whatever you like. It’s not appropriate attire or proper business etiquette.” Trend or not, there is never a need to expose one’s undergarments in public. On the note of being relaxed – there are other ways of being relaxed that don’t involve your butt hanging out, and the same goes for confidence. If exposing your underwear-ed butt means you’re confident, does exposing your bare butt mean you’re über-confident? Is that an ac-
ceptable way to show you’re confident? How about just a smile or good posture, which are a bit more tolerable? In a survey of 15 Mercer students; eight female and seven male, seven women said that they were not attracted to guys that sag their pants, 5 of those 7 added that they would not date a guy that sagged. “I believe its unprofessional and not a good look to have your butt showing. If guys boxers are showing, its uncomfortable to look at,” stated second-year Nursing student Deborih Barksdale. “I think that guys that sag their pants are followers… following a ridiculous trend. Guys wear their pants off their butt to be labeled hip, thuggish or cool,” stated first-year Education major Jesminelly Rodriquez. Three out of the seven men said they are bothered by other guys bustin’ a sag, two said it didn’t bother them at all and the other two said they don’t care. “I don’t think guys should sag their pants because they don’t look presentable... It’s a trend that disrespects not only the person wearing the jeans but us as a male species,” said first-year Culinary Arts major Val Jones.
Action has been taken in many parts of the country to obliterate this trend. Sagging pants have been outlawed in many cities including Trenton, N.J. and Delcambre, La., where violators of the law can be fined or sometimes even sentenced to up to six months in jail. Morehouse College in Atlanta, Ga. enacted an “Appropriate attire policy,” which banned sagging pants on campus. Some parts of the country, however, including areas of Louisiana and Virginia, have seen efforts to ban sagging. They have been denied due to the claim that banning sagging may be an infringement on the right to self-expression. The trend originates from jails and prisons where inmate are not allowed to have belts as they may hang themselves with them. As time went on, having saggy pants was a way a male inmate could show others he was “looking for love” or gay. Now, sagging doesn’t hold any of those implications. An anonymous former inmate said that sagging pants now are a way for young guys to be cool and fit in, “Many years ago sagging pants was a sign that you were gay, but in today’s society, it’s no longer true. Today it’s just a trend.”
Study abroad offers more than resume building Nowadays companies are looking for diversity. They want employees with an open mind and a broad world view. Thus, travelling abroad is seen as a plus. However getting a good job should not be the only reason to study abroad. The advantages go beyond the job market. According to the Institute of International Education (IIE), “all students should study outside the United States, in both a developed and developing country, so as to gain the necessary global perspective and mindset essential in today’s global business.” Many students believe that travelling abroad can bring only job opportunities and that it’s the only motivation to to go to another country. “I want to go to Europe so I can have an abroad experience. It will be good for my resume,” says Alice Dantas, a sophomore International Business major at TCNJ. Studying in another country can bring job opportunities, yes, but more importantly, it can broaden
your horizons, by exposing you guage is relying on it. In addition to learning to another language, culture and history. It is an improve- the language, I’ve grown perment of self. The entire experi- sonally because of exposure to ence abroad can change your a diverse popuation. I’ve found life. The benefits go beyond this especially rewarding. Here, marketability. It can indellibly in America, I have met many change you, leading to greater different people: Americans, independence and fearless- Europeans, Africans, Middle ness. Further it can change the Eastern people, and Asians, to way you see other cultures and name a few. I haveve learned a lot how you relate to from my expandpeople with Independence, self ed group of interdifferent perspectives. growth, overcoming national friends. I can ask my I am an interna- difficult and unexpect- German friend tional student ed situations, respect- about the Berlin at Mercer, and ing and learning how Wall, or ask my Israeli friend her I came to the to deal with different view of the PalUnited States to learn Eng- cultures are all chal- estinian-Israeli lish and learn lenges that one learns Conflict. It is reabout Ameri- to overcome by study- ally interesting to hear from somecan culture, so ing abroad. ” one who lived I could teach the history; and, the language often their perspecin a private school back in Brazil. Now I realize that tives are unlike those shown on I have gained much more than TV. Most importantly, I am fluency. I have learned how to adapt in a different culture, to a much stronger individual befit into the American’s habit and cause I’ve studied abroad. I beway of life. Before I got here, I lieve that if I can make it here by studied English for four years, myself, without knowing anyand I thought I knew it. But my body, and speaking poor Engown experience showed me the lish, I can do anything I want. only way to truly learn a lan- Now, after three years living in
America, I am well-adapted to the culture; I can say I have a normal life. Amazingly, regardless of students’ goals are for studying abroad, most of the time they achieve more than they had expected. “When I decided to study in Europe, I thought it would be good for me to learn about the ‘Old World’, but I gained much more than that; I am more tolerant and confident now” says Janice Kuntz, 25, from Newark, NJ. Giselle Pereira a student from Brazil who spent one year in the Netherlands, said “the magnificence of spending a year in Europe is that you can travel to many different countries due the fact they are very close to each other.” Independence, selfgrowth, overcoming difficult and unexpected situations, and respecting and learning how to deal with different cultures are all challenges that one learns to overcome by studying abroad. Studying in a foreign country is a continuous learning process. You learn while walking the streets, talking to people, or going to historical sites. Clearly, there is much more to gain than just a job.
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In the November 16 issue page 4 article entitled “Phish began at MCCC: Interview with lyricist Tom Marshall” it was implied that Phish frontman Tony Anastasio did not regularly attend classes when, in fact, it should have said that Anastasio was simply done with his classes for the day on the day he reunited with Marshall. Additionally, the promo box on page one said that Phish was formed at MCCC when, in fact, it was formed at UVM and the lyricist and frontman simply first reunited at MCCC.
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By Michelle Pereira Reporter
e-mail: sara_gatling@yahoo.com phone: (609) 586-4800 ext. 3594 write to: The College VOICE Mercer County College PO Box B Trenton, NJ 08550
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the the college college
voice
12 - 14 - 09
JUST 4 FUN horoscopes
ASK THE VOICE: good answers to tough questions Help is here!
Dear Voice, I hear there are new classes during the winter break. What’s the easiest thing I can take so I can get out of here faster? -Early Exit Dear Early, We recommend MAT 000.04. It’s no credit but heck, if that won’t pull up your GPA, nothing will. -The Voice _____ Dear Voice, Is it appropriate for
an adult to wear thermal long johns to survive the winter weather? -Toasty Dear Toasty, Not only is it appropriate, it’s damn sexy. -The Voice _____ Dear Voice, If your right leg is in Christmas and your left leg is in New Years, can I see you between the holidays? - Big Boy Dear Big Boy, Someone’s been naughty this year. Why don’t you come up and see me do a North Pole dance sometime. - Mrs. Claus (senior artic correspondent)
Dear Voice, Why do you fill up space with these silly questions when you could be using it for important educational purposes? I find this column thoroughly unAmerican. - Concerned Citizen Dear Concerned, Nothing’s more American than exercising our First Amendment right to print innane advice. -The Voice
Capricorn
Dec. 22 - Jan. 19 Find a way to concentrate while facing challenges. Concentration brings success. Success brings money. Money brings indictments and an investigation from the SEC, but not always.
Aquarius
Pisces
Jan. 20 - Feb. 18 Yes, Aquarius, it is time to put your great ideas to good use. Better yet, find someone to do the work for you. Then take all the credit. They were your ideas afterall.
Feb. 19 - Mar. 20 You need to learn how to push the boundaries of convention a little, but please, keep your clothes on.
NOTE: THIS FEATURE IS FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY. ANY RESEMBLANCE TO ACTUAL PROBLEMS IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL.
Taurus Apr. 20 - May 20 Try to inspire others with your enthusiasm even in the minutia of everyday life. Do not lead a revolt against the food in the caf, but do tell a joke during awkward situations.
Virgo
Aug. 23 - Sept. 22 Your creative side is dying to come out. Look for avenues to exhibit your personality such as interpretive dance or writing the next great American fortune cookie.
Gemini
May 21 - Jun. 20 You keep focusing on the big picture to accomplish large goals. So get off your ass, stop looking at that large piece of art, and go do something productive.
Libra
Sept. 23 - Oct. 22 Listen to the advice others are giving you, but trust your own instincts. Parents have ulterior motives for helping you; try to find a nice unbiased homeless guy to help.
2x the Get Fuzzy and Dilbert!
1. Sports venue 5. Influence, in a way 10. Revolutionary leader 15. Impertinent 19. Decorative molding 20. Drop a syllable 21. Licit 22. River in Russia 23. Conservative 24. - Major 25. Quickly 26. Second caliph 27. Start of a quip by Andy Rooney: 3 wds. 31. Part of Can. 32. Related 33. Looped cross 34. Bean type 36. Ambit 38. Nasal membranes 40. Boy wonder 42. Certain horse 43. Runner in a race 44. Rests 45. Minus 48. Part 2 of quip: 3 wds. 51. Provoke 53. Buttress 54. Bridle part 55. Where the Styx flows 56. Eskers 57. Clock sound 58. - -fi 59. Angers 60. Goes quickly 62. Invented 63. Furnishes 65. Part 3 of quip 66. Not the King’s English
DOWN 67. Settings 69. Tastelessly funny 70. Present! 71. Delivery co. 74. Name on a back pocket 75. Eructation 76. Abounds 77. - forte 78. Salem’s state: abbr. 79. Relating to skin 81. Part 4 of quip: 2 wds. 83. Period 84. She, in Sicily 85. Moorehead the actress 87. Contended 88. Pub regular 90. Gracie or Woody 91. Bovine 93. College treasurer 95. Gallimaufry 96. Level 97. “Do - - say ...” 98. End of the quip: 5 wds. 106. Chums 108. Set of steps 109. Parts of feet 110. - dixit 111. Jason’s vessel 112. Purloined 113. Deposit in wine casks 114. Monocle 115. Gypsy gentlemen 116. Exuviates 117. Sierra 118. Latvian
Aries
Mar. 21 - Apr. 19 You have a strong commitment to yourself, but remember to think about others this holiday season when buying gifts. You cannot buy love, but you can piss people off with a cheap gift.
_____
THEME CROSSWORD: LONGEVITY
ACROSS
BONUS: SUDOKU PAGES 10 + 12!
1. On-campus program: abbr. 2. Mad scientist’s aide 3. Infamous ruler 4. Quoin 5. Statistical group 6. Antelope 7. Tinkle 8. Redact 9. Make new, in a way 10. Baked 11. Profundity 12. Chinese gelatin 13. Ceremonial staff 14. Most streamlined 15. Broadway’s Ziegfeld 16. Bakery item: 3 wds. 17. Pointless 18. Fete 28. Soak 29. - nous 30. Airtight container 35. SeaWorld denizen 36. Kind of boom 37. Certain span: 2 wds. 38. Begets 39. Part of BPOE 40. Printing measures 41. - apparent 42. Cookout fare 43. Methods 44. Leans to one side 46. Approximately 47. Raced 49. Complains 50. The whole nine 52. Not right upstairs 57. Unrefined 60. Allegro, presto, etc. 61. Salesman62. Vise
64. Inexplicable things 65. Buddhist principle 66. Beginnings 67. Circuit-board socket 68. Beak part 69. Like kale 70. Daughter of Zeus and Leda 72. More wan 73. Took to court 75. Kind of tower 76. Elasticity 79. Makes free of ice 80. A state: abbr. 82. Excessive force 86. Of the vocal apparatus 89. Beam 90. Outlanders 91. Figure of speech 92. Light meal 93. - the Elephant 94. Loansharking 95. Leered at 96. Mike or Cicely 99. Provo’s state 100. Victory personified 101. - Krishna 102. As a consequence 103. Sword 104. Money - everything 105. Try 107. Distress call
Cancer
Jun. 21 - Jul. 22 Be on the lookout for a meaningful relationship that is going to manifest itself in your life. It could be a friendship, a new lover, a dog, or any combination of the three.
Scorpio
Oct. 23 - Nov. 21 You love a good challenge. Learn a new game or try to pick up an instrument. It’s never too late to add something to the “Special Skills” section of the resume.
Leo
Jul. 23 - Aug. 22 It is time to expand your horizons and break the monotony. Discover the spice of life. We cannot live on bread alone. That is why there’s rum.
Sagittarius
Nov. 22 - Dec. 21 Continue to search for your true calling in life is, and resign yourself to the fact that you may never find it. The fun is in the searching.